Ireland eyes up close pass initiative

road.cc) Ireland eyes up close pass initiative Sarah Barth February 25 2017 West Midlands Police close pass operation Mark Hodson and Steve Hudson A close passing law has been proposed in Ireland, following on from successful trials in the USA and parts of the UK. But police, or gardaí, who will be expected to enforce… [Read More]

A close passing law has been proposed in Ireland, following on from successful trials in the USA and parts of the UK.

But police, or gardaí, who will be expected to enforce the law, say they need more funding to do so.

The proposals would see drivers face a €80 fine and three penalty points if they are caught overtaking cyclists at a distance of less than 1.5 metres.

Fine Gael TD Ciarán Cannon said:”Create a safe space on our roads where cyclists can feel protected from passing traffic,” according to the Irish Independent.

Fianna Fáil transport spokesman Robert Troy asked what would happen on roads that aren’t wide enough for cars to pass at distances of more than 1.5 metres and added: “Like any road legislation, enforcement is key.”

Imelda Munster, Sinn Féin’s transport spokeswoman, said she would seek assurances that the Garda Traffic Corps would be given additional funding to enforce the measure.

Last month we reported how a close pass initiative to protect cyclists could be rolled out by 16 police forces across the UK, covering a population of more than 20 million people.